16 Experiences Retail Employees Had With Famous Guests, Ranging From "He Acts Like Entitled Trash" To "One Of The Nicest People I've Ever Met"
A while back, I rounded up interesting stories from retail workers who met celebs on the clock. In the comments, the BuzzFeed Community shared even more stories of their own.
Here are 16 stories from retail and restaurant workers about how celebrity customers treated them:
Disclaimer: These stories have not been verified. The users are supposedly speaking from their own experiences.
Some entries have been edited for length/clarity.
1."While I was at uni, I worked in a bar that was definitely not the coolest place to be. Christina Ricci was filming a movie in our town, and we joked that there was no way she would visit our Z-lister bar. ... So, of course, one night, she walked in with some of the film crew! We kind of expected her to be a bit above it or demand special treatment, but we couldn't have been more wrong."
"She took a booth on the main floor (not the private section), queued for and ordered her group's drinks when it was her round, left VERY generous tips, and was an absolute sweetheart with all the staff as well as the few brave patrons who said hi to her. She was kind, friendly, and polite. I've been a massive fan ever since."
2."Years and years ago, a friend gave Uma Thurman and her kids a VIP tour of a theme park (this was when the kids were still small). She did it for other celebs, too, but she particularly sings Uma's praises to this day for being so polite and enthusiastic."
"My friend also watched the whole of Stranger Things because she remembers Maya Hawke being such an adorable, well-behaved child."
3."I worked at a bakery, and Ethan Hawke would bring the kids in when he had them. Once, Maya picked her brother Levon up to steal some candles, but their dad made them put them back."
"They always seemed like really well-behaved kids, other than the attempted birthday cake candle theft."
4."A number of years ago, my daughter was working the Bloomingdale’s mens gloves counter when Keanu Reeves came in. He asked for her help in picking out a pair of warm gloves. He told her he had just flown into town and didn’t have any with him. She said he was one of the nicest and friendliest people she’s ever met."
5."I used to work for Sephora. There, I met Cynthia Erivo, who was so, so, so nice."
6."I work at an airport. Bobby Flay acts like entitled trash."
7."I work at a comedy club. We’ve had Chris Kattan from Saturday Night Live, and he was kind of a dick to the staff. He got too drunk and was rude to us. His set sucked, and people left, which cost us tips."
8."At the store I worked at, I met Hayley Williams from Paramore, and she was a sweetheart and very humble."
9."I grew up in LA and worked at a very high-end department store, so I've met quite a few. However, the funniest story I have is from my dad, who got a part-time job at Home Depot after retirement. Jessica Simpson (during her show with Nick Lachey) came in and asked him for help finding stuff on a list. He helped her find them, then she thanked him and went on her way."
"The young guys he worked with were DYING, asking him if he knew who she was, etc. He, of course, didn't. He said she looked like every other fake tanned blonde in LA, LOL."
10."At the airport I work at, Luke Perry was super nice."
11."When I worked at a Sephora, I met Courtney B. Vance, who was super low-key and nice."
12."In the early '90s, I worked in a woodworking tool store in Vancouver. It was a couple of weeks before Christmas, and near closing, a scruffy little guy with a terrible complexion and his collar pulled up to his chin with a watch cap on his head came up to the counter looking for a set of chisels to gift his dad. They were out of stock, so we told him we would bring in a set for him. When we asked his name for the order, he said, 'Mr. Adams.' It was then that we realized he was Bryan Adams, who had recently hit it big."
"He never did pick up the set of chisels."
13."I waited on South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham once. He was a bad tipper, and he left the table an absolute mess!"
14."I had Missy Elliott come through my line at a grocery store. I had no idea who she was until a coworker told me later. She wore her headphones and completely ignored me and played on her phone the entire time."
"I had to try for several minutes to get her attention when it was time to pay."
15."I once made a latte for singer Sufjan Stevens. He was doing a show at my college, and I was working the campus coffee shop. A group of guys that I didn’t recognize came in and got drinks. My coworker was freaking out, and she clued me into who it was after they left."
"The whole band was polite and quiet. TBH, I’m still not sure which one was Sufjan."
16.And finally: "Terri Irwin came into the Wendy’s where I worked during college a couple of times with little Bindi and baby Bob. Her parents lived right up the street, and this was right after Steve passed away, so we assumed she was staying with them after his passing."
"All the locals know Terri and her folks are absolute sweethearts, so I was so proud of our whole staff for being extra kind and professional to her while she was grieving (though we always gave the kiddos extra toys in their kids meals)."
